The Claws In My Heart
by MusicMadtm
Summary: They will pierce every one of us sometime. But that doesn't make it hurt any less. One-shot for AdderClan: Leaving, Leaving, Gone


**Hey, so this is a story for 'Leaving, Leaving, Gone' in AdderClan. Is the ending too ****cliché****? Read, review and enjoy!**

* * *

"Rowanstar? Rowanstar!" Tawnypelt looked around the ShadowClan camp, a familiar hint of frustration starting to creep into her mind. She caught Crowfrost crossing the clearing with an outstretched paw. "Have you seen Rowanstar anywhere?" She asked, trying to look relatively calm.

The black and white tom shook his head worriedly. "No, I haven't seen him since yesterday. Why, is something going on?"

Tawnypelt shook her head. "Nothing's going on of any concern. I'm just looking for him." Crowfrost moved off with a flick of his tail, leaving Tawnypelt in the middle of the ShadowClan camp, standing there like a startled pigeon. With an angry flick of her ear, she stormed off to go and find her irresponsible Clan leader, and her irresponsible mate.

* * *

Somewhere beyond ShadowClan territory

* * *

Rowanstar felt a deep purr rising in his chest as smooth white fur wreathed around his, blossom sweet scent filling his mouth. The restless grief that had fluttered deep in his heart since Blackstar's death had started to rise away from him since he had started spending so much time with her.

Her purr sounded like music to his ears. Her fur felt like spider's silk on his pelt. Her scent was like sweet nectar on his tongue. He had never been this happy with Tawnypelt. He had never been this happy at all.

"Rowanstar!" A irritated call echoed through the trees. _Tawnypelt! _Rowanstar's fur stood on end. "Quick, run away!" Rowanstar hissed. Just as the words left his jaws, a ruffled brown pelt emerged from the trees. Tawnypelt's features were frowning with annoyance, descending into horror as she witnessed the scene before her.

"R-R-Rowanstar? S-Snowbird? What _is_ going on?"

* * *

_Tawnypelt's POV_

* * *

Tawnypelt could hear her feelings clearly in her trembling mew. Confusion, deep anger, bitter regret and a lonely vibration of sadness showed exactly what she was feeling without Rowanstar even having to look at her face. Not that he would want to look at her anymore. Snowbird would be fine.

"So this is why." Tawnypelt suddenly meowed, a stiff calm in her voice. "Why you've never been around. Why you're always so distracted from everything. Why you've suddenly started picking fights for no reason, why you've been pretty much ignoring our kits, why you've argued so much with me, with so much bitterness." Her voice rose. "Why would you break my heart? Why would you take everything I feel about you and throw it back in my face like a piece of crow-food?" Her voice broke, and she turned her face away so that Rowanstar couldn't see her whole life shattering into a million broken shards in her eyes.

Snowbird looked around awkwardly; she clearly had no idea about the whole thing. "I think I'll leave." She meowed quietly and began to back out of the clearing. Rowanstar brought her back with a gentle tail on her shoulder. _I've never seen him be so tender with me._

"Stay, Snowbird." Rowanstar turned to face Tawnypelt, and she faced him and looked him in the eye with a scorching hot gaze. "I'm sorry you had to discover this way, but I'm not your mate. I haven't been truly since Blackstar died. And it's going to stay that way.

"Rowanstar, no-" Snowbird started.

"Sshh." Rowanstar wrapped his tail around her neck. "I am not your mate." Rowanstar repeated to Tawnypelt, then walked away with Snowbird in his clutches.

A broken cry escaped Tawnypelt's lips. The shards that were piercing her heart were stronger than the sharpest claws, but Tawnypelt couldn't, wouldn't let it out. _I know what's better. _

* * *

"Are you ready, Tawnypelt?"

"Oh, Goldenflower! I haven't seen you for so long!" The gold queen said nothing, but led Tawnypelt up into the darkening sky, leaving a view of her broken body below.

"Why did you do this?" Goldenflowe asked gently. "No tom is worth your life if he can leave so quickly."

Tawnypelt breathed a gentle sigh. "If I had no heart, then I wouldn't be able to feel anymore. So I took care of that problem." Goldenflower looked sadly down at the tawny she-cat lying far below her with a gaping, bloody hole in her chest.

"Oh, Tawnypelt. There's always another way."


End file.
